The Time Of Our Lives - Karman

Chapter 20

It has been a week since that incident and nobody mentioned it again. 

Aman had his head on Kartik's lap while Kartik was playing with Aman's soft hair. Kartik was reading a book while Aman was resting. They relax on most of the Saturdays. 

"Aman, tumhe kese pata chala tum gay ho?" Kartik suddenly asked, closing the book he was reading. (Aman, how did you know you were gay?) 

"Kyu puch rahe ho?" (Why are you asking?) 

"Bas, curiosity" (Just curious.) 

"Jabse chota tha tabse I didn't feel anything towards girls. Mere dost ladkiyo ki baate karte the but mujhe unmai koi interest hi nhi aata tha. Movies dekhta tha toh heroines nhi hero pasand aate the. I got my first boner seeing Bradley Cooper shirtless" Aman get out a giggle at that. And Kartik laughed. 

(Since childhood I didn't feel anything towards girls. My friends used to talk about girls but I couldn't find interest in that. Whenever I used to watch a movie then I used to like heroes not heroines. I got my first boner seeing Bradley Cooper shirtless.) 

"I was 13 when I started to like a boy. At 15, I finally accepted, I was gay. I have had a boyfriend or two but that was just for a month or two. Then after completing my studies, I came to Delhi and met you" Aman smiled and pulled Kartik down by his collar to kissed him. 

"And it was the best decision I have ever made" Aman breathed against Kartik's lips while Kartik smiled. 

"Ab tum mujhe apni story batao" Aman said, excitedly. (Now, you tell me your story.)

"Ok. Meri bhi story kuch aisi hi hai. Friends ladkiyo ki baat karte the mujhe interest nhi tha. Ladko ki taraf hi attraction hoti thi. But mene bahot chaldi accept kar liya tha main gay hu. Mujhe bhi ek ladka pasand aaya tha, usse mene apni feelings bhi boli but vo gay nhi tha." Kartik sighed, remembering how that boy cringed and told him 'boys should not like boys'. 

(Ok. My story is very smiliar to yours. Friends used to talk about girls but I wasn't interested in that. I always used feel attracted towards boys. But I accepted very early that I was gay. I started to like a boy, I told him my feeling but he wasn't gay.) 

"Aman, tumne ek baat notice ki hai ke hum movies dekhte hai toh sirf heterosexual logo ka pyaar dekhte hai. Hum jese homosexuals ka koi pyaar nhi dikhaya jata hai. Aur hume kitni feminine tarike se portray kiya jata hai. Every gay is not feminine. Hume log kyu aise dekhte hai?" Kartik was getting a little emotional. 

(Aman, have you noticed one thing that whenever we see a movie, we only see heterosexual couples loving each other. We don't see homosexual love. And we are portrayed as such a feminine character. Every gay is not feminine. Why do people look at us like that?) 

Aman sat up and took Kartik in his arms. He rubbed Kartik's back gently to calm him down. 

"Kartik, duniya aisi hi hai. Hum kuch nhi kar sakte. But we have each other. We love each other. We will fight whoever comes in our way" (Kartik, the world is like that. We can't do anything about it. But we have each other. We love each other. We will fight whoever comes in our way.) 

"Aman, what if your family doesn't accept us? Mere baap ne mujhe ek ladke ke sath pakad liya tha. Bahot mara tha aur bola ki main pyaar ke layak hi nhi hu, paapi hu main" Kartik could feel the tears swell up in his eyes. (Aman, what if your family doesn't accept us? My father caught me with a boy once. And he beat me so much and said that I don't deserve to be loved, that I am a sinner.) 

Aman himself wasn't that confident but seeing Kartik doubt himself made his heart ache. 

"Kartik, agar meri family hume accept nhi karegi toh hum ladege. Ek dusre ke liye. Apne pyaar ke liye. Kuch bhi ho jai I promise, I won't let you go. And you deserve so much love. Don't think about your father. He didn't know what he was saying. I love you so much, you know that, right? Please aisa mat socho. Mujhe accha nhi lagta jab tum sad hote ho. I love to see you all bubbly and happy. Now show me that beautiful smile of yours"

(Kartik, if my family doesn't accept us then we will fight. For each other. For our love. I promise no matter what, I won't let you go. And you deserve so much love. Don't think about your father. He didn't know what he was saying. I love you so much, you know that, right? Please don't overthink. I don't like it when you are sad. I love to see you all bubbly and happy. Now show me that beautiful smile of yours.) 

A smile broke out on Kartik's face. Aman held Kartik tighter. Aman knew deep down his family wouldn't accept them. But he didn't lie when he said he would even fight his family for Kartik. 

Aman knew Kartik still had doubts and Aman wanted to clear every one of them. 

"Let me carry you to our room, love. And let me make you realise how much I love every inch of you." 

Kartik nodded and wrapped his legs around Aman's waist and buried his face in the crook of Aman's neck. 

Aman kissed Kartik's clothed shoulder. 

Aman put his hands under Kartik's thighs and lifted Kartik up and carried him to his room. Kartik clung to Aman like a koala. 

Aman gently placed Kartik on the bed and kissed him desperately. 

"Kartik, can I take off your T-shirt please?" Aman asked, pulling away. 

Kartik nodded. Aman grabbed the end of his T-shirt and pulled it over his head, leaving Kartik shirtless. 

Aman stared at Kartik for a couple of minutes and then leaned forward and kissed Kartik's hair. 

"I love your hair. They are so soft and thick. And I love to run my fingers through them" 

Aman then kissed Kartik's eyes. 

"You have such beautiful eyes that I could stare in them all day."

Aman kissed Kartik's button nose. 

"I love your cute nose. I love the way you scrunch your nose when you don't approve of anything. I even love your nose ring" 

Aman kissed Kartik's right cheek. 

"I love the cute little dimple that appears when you smile or laugh" Aman said, making that dimple of Kartik appear with a gorgeous smile. 

Aman kissed Kartik's lips. 

"I love your soft kissable lips so much. I could kiss them all day long. "

Aman trailed down kisses from Kartik's neck to his chest. 

"I love to lay down on your chest and listen to the beat of your heart" 

Aman kissed Kartik's abs. 

"I love these abs of yours. They make you look so hot" 

Aman kissed Kartik's tummy. Kartik get out a giggle at that as he was ticklish. 

"I love how ticklish you are on your tummy" 

Kartik could feel all his doubts fade away with every kiss. Aman was showering so much love on Kartik that he could feel his heart ready to explode with happiness and love. All this time, Kartik had a constant smile on his face. His eyes were watering seeing Aman's love for him. 

Kartik pulled Aman up and kissed him hard. Aman wrapped his arms around Kartik's waist. Kartik pulled away from Aman. 

"I love you so much, Aman" Kartik said, looking intensely into Aman's eyes. 

"I was not done, Kartik. I love your giggles. I love the way you are bubbly and cheerful all the time. I love your voice. I love the way you cross your hands and pout when you are angry at me. I love the way you wrap your cold feet around mine so you can warm them up. I love all your tantrums. Lastly Kartik, I love you. I love you so much" Aman said, breathing heavily. 

Kartik hugged Aman and cried. 

Aman shushed Kartik and asked, "Now, you believe that you deserve to be loved?" 

"I love you, Aman Tripathi. Thank you so much"

"I love you too, Kartik Singh" Aman smiled, looking down at his beautiful Kartik.